Supporting stand or carrier for infants



July 18, 1967 R. LERNER SUPPORTING STAND OR CARRIER FOR INFANTS 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2, 1964 8 \w x mm.

Lo w/w I I Z a a K I IN V EN TOR. Robe/z A er/ver' July 18, 1967 R.LERNER SUPPORTING STAND OR CARRIER FOR INFANTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. Robert learner Filed Oct. 2, 1964 July 18, 1967 R. LERNER3,331,632

SUPPORTING STAND OR CARRIER FOR INFANTS Filed Oct. 2, 1964 3Sheets-Sheet 5 f INVENTOR. fiaberz Ze/Wer ATTDRNE United States Patent3,331,632 SUPPGRTING STAND GR CARRIER FOR INFANTS Robert Lerner,Woodmere, N.Y., assignor to Johnee Seat Corporation, Long Island City,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 401,131Claims. (Cl. 297-302) This invention relates to a supporting stand orcarrier for infants too young to sit or stand without support, whereinit is desired to provide a correct device capable of supporting a smallbaby in a comfortable position.

An extremely young infant before the sitting up stage in the life of thebaby must lie flatly on its back or be supported in the arms of anattendant. It is desirable for the health and comfort as well as for thedevelopment of the infant to change its position from the helpless proneposture necessarily assumed. The head and back of the infant must becarefully supported at all times until the development allows the babyto sit up erect unsupported.

It has been found that most babies will remain most contented whensupported at an angle rather than when lying in a horizontal position. Asupport holding the baby at an angle has been found to have a tendencyto strengthen the back of the infant, as the child may more readily riseinto upright position.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to providean inclined stand or carrier in which the baby may be supported duringthe hours when the child is awake. This permits the development of theinfant body without any strain regardless of the age of the baby. Theposition of the body may be changed without danger of causing injury tothe neck, chest or any part of the body and at the same time the armsand legs are free at all times.

Another object of the invention is to increase the utility of a babysupport or carrier by providing a supporting frame or stand which isadjustably connected t the stand or carrier in such a way as to supportthe child in any of a series of positions and to provide a stand whichwill support the baby comfortably and safely in the carrier.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a supporting frame whichwill support the baby carrier or stand in any of a variety of positions,allowing the baby to lie flat or to be set up at any desired angle.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a supporting framefor a baby carrier or stand which is formed of a heavy steel for rigidsupport of the carrier. The use of the supporting frame or stand inconjunction with the baby carrier enables the carrier to be used in awide variety of situations; for instance, the carrier may be used as anattachment to an automobile seat, or to a high chair.

Still another object is to provide a baby carrier or stand with meansfor converting the carrier or stand from a stationary device to a rockerand vice versa.

Yet another object is to provide a baby carrier or stand that isportable and may be readily carried with supported infant from room toroom.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a baby carrier or stand andsupporting frame embodying the invention, the carrier being supported atan angle to the vertical and shown supporting an infant, the carrier andframe being shown in collapsed condition in dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the carrier or stand and supportingframe.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one end of the carrier or stand showingthe connection between the compression spring and body of the carrier.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the carrier or stand on an enlargedscale.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bracket adapted to be used with thecarrier or stand.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an automobile seat with the carrieror stand of FIG. 1 supported on the top thereof.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG.6.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the carrier or stand andsupporting frame, the'carrier being supported in an upright position andfixed in position, showing an infant supported therein and seated upon acushion or pad.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the frame for supporting the carrieror stand as shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of the pad or cushion for the carrier.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the carrier or stand supported inhorizontal position on a modified form of supporting frame.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the supporting frame ofFIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a detail sectional view of a compression spring withinanother compression spring.

FIG. 15 is a detail sectional view of the supporting frame joint.

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the carrier or stand of FIG. 11supported in a position at an angle to the vertical.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown asupporting carrier or stand 10 for an infant supported at an angle tothe vertical upon a supporting frame 12 and showing an infant insupported position therein.

The carrier 10 shown comprises an elongated back panel 14 havingintegrally formed side panels 16 and 18. The side panels extendforwardly as at 20 and 22 and are integrally connected to a bottom 24.The bottom has a downwardly extending skirt portion 26, at the frontthereof, to limit forward tipping. The baby carrier of the typeillustrated is normally a one-piece structure formed of a comparativelyrigid plastic material. The side panels 16 and 18 are formed withlaterally extending flanges 28 terminating in rearwardly extendingflanges 30, and the skirt portion 26 is formed with a rearwardlyextending flange 32 forming a continuation of the flanges 30. The rearpanel 14 is formed with a series of pairs of aligned transverse closedslots 34 and with a single transverse slot 36 at the top to serve as ahandle for carrying the carrier. A plurality of semi-spherical bearingmembers 37 are integrally formed on the rear surface of the rear panelat spaced intervals and in opposed relation between the slots at thesides of the panel. A pair of opposed tubular bearing members 38 isformed on the rear surface of the rear panel at the bottom thereof, themembers being disposed near the sides of the panel. The side panel 16and 18 are also formed with closed slots 40. The slots 34 and 40 are fordecorative purposes and to reduce the weight of the carrier. A pair ofsmall holes 42 is formed in the rear panel above slot 36. A pair ofvertically disposed closely spaced slots 44 is also formed in the rearpanel midway its ends at each side thereof and a horizontally disposedclosed slot 46 is formed in the skirt portion 26 at the bottom front ofthe carrier.

The supporting frame 12 is provided for supporting the carrier or standin positions relative to the horizontal. This frame 12 comprises aU-shaped body 52 of heavy gauge tubular steel material with the freeends of the legs 54 thereof turned at substantially right angles intofeet 56. The free ends of the feet are provided with rubber caps 58. Aheaded pivot pin 60 is carried by each leg at its juncture with its foot56, the pin extending laterally of the inner surface of the leg andextending loosely through a hole 62 in the adjacent flange 30 of theside panel of the carrier. The carrier or stand 10 is thus pivotallyconnected to and supported by the supporting frame 12 when the bightportion 64 and the feet 56 of the frame 12 rest on a horizontalsupporting surface S as shown in FIG. 1, the construction serving as arocker. The frame 12 is sufficiently resilient to permit spreading ofthe legs 54 so that the pivot pins 60 may be inserted into the holes 62in the side panels.

The invention contemplates cushioning the rocking or pivoting movementof the carrier or stand 10 and for this purpose an elongated compressionspring 68 is interposed between the bottom of the rear panel 14 of thecarrier or stand and the bight portion or crosspiece 64 of the frame 12connected to the bight portion by means of a chain 70 fastened at oneend to an eye 72 on the bight portion and at its other end to theadjacent end convolution of the spring. The other end convolution of thespring is loosely fastened around a double headed metal cross bar 74,the ends of which are supported by the tubular bearing members 38.Downward pressure on the carrier or stand 10 causes the spring to becomeelongated and when this pressure is relieved the spring contracts. Thisprovides spring action for the rocking movement of the carrier. Insteadof the spring 68 and chain 7% connection, a telescoped spring structurecomprising a compression spring 71 telescoped in another compressionspring 73 as shown in FIG. 14 may be interposed between the supportingframe and carrier or stand 14, the end convolutions of the springs beingformed with hooks 75 for fastening to the'eye 72 and rod 74.

Mechanism is also provided for holding the carrier or stand 10 inadjusted angular positions relative to the vertical as shown in FIG. 9.This mechanism includes elongated round metal rods 80 formed with books82 at one end and angular right angular feet 84 at the other end. Inorder to hold the carrier or stand 10 in predetermined angular position,the hooked ends of the rods 80 are inserted through holes 86formed inthe legs adjacent the bight portion or cross piece 64 of the frame 12and the feet 84 thereof inserted through the desired pair of opposedbearing members 37 on the rear panel 14 of the carrier or stand. Theolder the baby becomes the more able he is to sit in ar more erectposition.

A pad 90 is preferably provided for covering the rear panel 14. The padis formed of covered waterproof material such as urethane foam rubberand is substantially of the same dimensions as the rear panel beingprovided with longitudinally extending grooves 92 at one end and a crossgroove 94 at the other end to permit the pad to accommodate itself tothe shape of the carrier or stand. The. pad forms a cushion for theinfant.

It is contemplated that the carrier or stand 10* may be suspended fromthe back of an automobile seat as shown in FIG. 6. The rear panel 14 isaccordingly formed 'with the pair of holes 42 above the slot 36 asviewed in FIG. 1 to receive removably a portion of an adapter bracket 96as shown in FIG. 5. The adapter bracket comprises a frame of round metalrod material having a pair of substantially inverted U-shaped auxiliaryframes with bight or cross portions 100 and side legs 102 and 164, theextremities of the legs 104 being connected by an elongated rod portion106 and the extremities of the other legs 102 being outturned in opposeddirections forming feet 168.

In use, the feet 108 are inserted through the holes 42 in the top of therear panel 14 whereby the frame forms an extension of the rear panel 14and the inverted U-shaped auxiliary frames of the frame may he slippedover the top 118 of the upstanding back 112 of an automobile seat 114 asseen in FIG. 6, whereby the carrier or stand may be supported insuspended relation on the back of the seat. 7 7

In FIGS. 11 to 15, inclusive, a modified supporting frame structure 12is illustrated for supporting the carrier or stand 19 in either ahorizontal position as shown in FiG. 11 or in a position at an angle tothe vertical as shown in FIG. 16. The frame 12' consists of a pair ofsubstantially U-shaped auxiliary frames 116 and 118 placed end to endwith their bight portions 126* and 122, respectively interlocked asshown in FIG. 12. The frame 116 consists of a U-shaped body includingthe bight portion 120 and side legs 123, the free ends of the legs 122being bent inwardly slightly as indicated at 124 towards each other andbeing formed with extremities turned outwardly forming feet 126. Theframe 118 also consists of a U-shaped body including the bight portion122 and side legs 128, the legs extending slightly inwardly andterminating in extremities turned outwardly forming feet 130. The bightportions 120 and 122 of the auxiliary frames 116 and 118, respectively,are slightly bent or offset forming loops 132 and 134, respectively.

In order to support the carrier or stand 10 in a horizontal position asshown in FIG. 11, the loops 132 and 134 of the bight portions 120 and122, respectively, are interlocked with each other as shown in FIG. 12so that the auxiliary frames 116 and 118 can swingrelative to eachother. When thus interlocked, the feet of auxiliary frame 118 areinserted in a pair of opposed bearing members 37 adjacent to the top endof the carrier or stand as viewed in FIG. 1, and the feet 126 of theother auxiliary frame 116 are inserted through a pair of opposed bearingmembers 37 adjacent to the middle of the body of the carrier or stand asshown in FIG. 11. When the supporting frame 12 is thus fastened to thecarrier or stand, the carrier may be supported in a horizontal fashionby resting one end thereof on the tubular bearings 38 and the other endon the loops 132 and 134 formed by the bight portions of the frames 116and 118.

In order to support the carrier or stand 10 in a position at an angle tothe vertical as shown in FIG..l6 the feet of one auxiliary frame, forinstance, the feet 130 of auxiliary frame 118 are inserted through apair of opposed bearing members 37 on the rear panel 14 of the carrieror stand, for example, the members 37 near the mid-length of the body ofthe carrier as shown in FIG. 16, and the legs 123 of the otherinterlocked auxiliary frame 116 are seated for their entire length onthe horizontal supporting surface S. When the auxiliary frames are thusarranged, the carrier or stand 10 will be supported in a balancedcondition at an angle to the vertical.

A supporting belt may be provided for strapping the infant in thecarrier or stand 10. The belt is threaded through the pairs of slots 44at the sides of the rear panel 14 and looped around the infant and theends of the belt releasably fastened by a buckle (not shown). A strap142, which may be of waterproof material, is formed with a loop 144encircling the belt 140 and extends through the slot 46 in the skirtportion 26 with its free end anchored behind the skirt portion. As seenin FIG. 8, the strap is positioned between the legs of the. infant andprevents the child from slipping out of place.

The hand opening 36 at the top of the carrier or stand as viewed in FIG.1 permits the carrier or stand to be readily lifted or carried. A stringof balls 146 may be placed across the front of the carrier or standinwardly of the bottom 24 and secured in position by means of hooks 148carried on the ends of the string hooked around the edge walls of holes150 formed in the flanges 28. The balls constitute play toys for theinfant.

It will be seen that the infant is securely held in place in the canrier.by the supporting belt and the strap connecting the belt and the baseof the carrier; and that the carrier may be inclined at an angle to thevertical. The pad prevents any injury to the infant.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A baby stand or carrier comprising a body with a rear panel, sidepanels and a bottom, a skirt portion depending from the bottom at thefront thereof, the side panels extending forwardly of the rear panel, aflange along the front edge of each side panel, said flange beingangular in cross-section and having a portion extending rearwardly alongthe side panel and spaced therefrom, a rearwardly extending flange alongthe skirt portion forming a continuation of the rearwardly extendingflange on the side panel, said reaIwardly extending flange having ahole, said baby stand or carrier further comprising a support includinga tubular metal U-shaped body with side legs and a connecting bightportion, the ends of the legs being bent forming angular feet, and a pincarried by each leg at its juncture with its foot, said pin receivedloosely in the hole in the flange of the side panel and spring meansinterposed between the bight portion and the rear panel at the bottomend thereof including an elongated compression spring connected at oneend to the rear panel and connected at its other end to a chain, thechain being connected to the bight portion.

2. A baby stand or carrier comprising a body with a rear panel, sidepanels and a bottom, a skirt portion depending from the bottom at thefront thereof, the side panels extending forwardly of the rear panel, aflange along the front edge of each side panel, said flange beingangular in cross-section and having a portion extending rearwardly alongthe side panel and spaced therefrom, a rearwardly extending flange alongthe skirt portion forming a continuation of the rearwardly extendingflange on the side panel, said :rearwardly extending flange having ahole, said baby stand or carrier further comprising a support includinga tubular metal U-shaped body with side legs and a connecting bightportion, the ends of the legs being bent forming angular feet, and a pincarried by each leg at its juncture with its foot, said pin receivedloosely in the hole in the flange of the side panel and spring meansinterposed between the bight portion and the rear panel at the bottomend thereof, including an elongated compression spring connected at oneend to the rear panel and connected at its other end to a chain, thechain being connected to the bight portion, said rear panel having apair of opposed holes for attachment of an adapter supporting bracketfor supporting the carrier on the top of the back of an automobile seat,said bracket having a pair of inverted U-shaped frames in spacedrelation, the extremities of one side of the legs being connected by arod, the extremities of the other side of the legs being bent outwardlyforming feet adapted to be received in the holes in the rear panel, saidinverted U- shaped frames adapted to be seated over the top edge of anautomobile seat.

3. A baby stand or carrier comprising a body with a rear panel, sidepanels and a bottom, a skirt portion depending from the bottom at thefront thereof, the side panels extending forwardly of the rear panel,said baby stand or carrier further comprising a support including a pairof U-shaped tubular metal bodies arranged end to end with the bightportions thereof interlocked, pairs of opposed bearing membersprotruding from the rear surface of the rear panel, said pairs beingspaced longitudinally from each other, a pair of tubular bearing memberson the rear surface of the rear panel at the bottom sides thereof, theextremities of the side legs of the bodies being bent outwardly formingfeet received in the spaced bearing members on the rear panel, the bightportions of the U-shaped bodies and the pair of tubular bearing membersserving as supports for the carrier and U-shaped metal bodies with thecarrier disposed in a horizontal plane.

4. A baby stand or carrier comprising a body with a rear panel, sidepanels and a bottom, a skirt portion depending from the bottom at thefront thereof, the side panels extending forwardly of the rear panel,said baby stand or carrier further comprising a support including a pairof U-shaped tubular metal bodies arranged end to end with the bightportions thereof interlocked, a pair of opposed bearing membersprotruding from the rear surface of the rear panel, said pairs beingspaced longitudinally from each other, the extremities of the side legsof one U-shaped body being bent outwardly forming feet received inselected spaced bearing members on the rear panel, the side legs of theother U-shaped body adapted to be seated upon a horizontal supportingsurface for supporting the carrier in a position inclined to thevertical.

5. A baby stand or carrier as defined in claim 1 characterized by a pairof tubular bearing'members on the rear surface of the rear panel at thebottom end thereof at the sides, an elongated round rod with its endssupported in said tubular bearing members, wherein the compressionspring is constituted by a pair of spring sec tions telescoped onewithin the other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,421 7/ 1943 Ouellette297-310 2,532,025 11/1950 Johnson 297301 X 2,535,138 12/1950 Johnson297-301 X 2,809,692 10/1957 Taifae 297299 X 2,941,579 6/1960 Barker297-310 2,976,911 3/1961 Barker 297-302 X 3,096,963 7/ 1963 Welsh 297304X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner. G.O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

1. A BABY STAND OR CARRIER COMPRISING A BODY WITH A REAR PANEL, SIDEPANELS AND A BOTTOM, A SKIRT PORTION DEPENDING FROM THE BOTTOM AT THEFRONT THEREOF, THE SIDE PANELS EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF THE REAR PANEL, AFLANGE ALONG THE FRONT EDGE OF EACH SIDE PANEL, SAID FLANGE BEINGANGULAR IN CROSS-SECTION AND HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY ALONGTHE SIDE PANEL AND SPACED THEREFROM, A REARWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ALONGTHE SKIRT PORTION FORMING A CONTINUATION OF THE REARWARDLY EXTENDINGFLANGE ON THE SIDE PANEL, SAID REARWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE HAVING AHOLE, SAID BABY STAND OR CARRIER FURTHER COMPRISING A SUPPORT INCLUDINGA TUBULAR METAL U-SHAPED BODY WITH SIDE LEGS AND A CONNECTING BIGHTPORTION, THE ENDS OF THE LEGS BEING BENT FORMING ANGULAR FEET, ANUD APIN CARRIED BY EACH LEG AT ITS JUNCTURE WITH ITS FOOT, SAID PIN RECEIVEDLOOSELY IN THE HOLE IN THE FLANGE OF THE SIDE PANEL AND SPRING MEANSINTERPOSED BETWEEN THE BIGHT PORTION AND THE REAR PANEL AT THE BOTTOMEND THEREOF INCLUDING AN ELONGATED COMPRESSION SPRING CONNECTED AT ONEEND TO THE REAR PANEL AND CONNECTED AT ITS OTHER END TO A CHAIN, THECHAIN BEING CONNECTED TO THE BIGHT PORTION.